Combination lock



Jan. 3, 1961 c. J. AMO

COMBINATION LOCK 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed April 26, 1957 1. m mm INVENTOR CLAUDE J. AMO

BY [aha 114%, r ATTOR Y Jan. 3, 1961 c. J. AMO

COMBINATION LOCK Filed April 26, 195'? 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR CLAUDE J. AMO

ATTO EY HIHII- 2,966,788 COMBINATION LOCK Claude .l. Arno, 326 Kiah St., Ogdensburg, N.Y. Filed Apr. 26, 1957, Ser. No. 655,238

6 Claims. c1. 70-156) 7 The present invention relates to a combination lock and, more particularly, to a permutation-type lock for use in securing doors, drawers, or the like, for receptacles of various types.

The present invention constitutes an improvement on the type of lock Patent No. 2,584,655, issued February 5, 1952.

This invention provides an improved, inexpensive, extremely simple permutationlype lock particularly adapted for providing adequate security for a receptacle door or drawer. In such a device, the more conventional type of combination lock would be prohibitively expensive and would provide a measure of security which would be inappropriate for the actual needs. The extremely simple lock herein proposed'provides adequate security for such uses at a cost commensurate with that of the receptacle.

It is, therefore, an important object of this invention to provide a new and improved permutation lock assembly.

Another object of this invention is to provide a permutation lock assembly particularly adapted for installation on panel-type doors, the lock operating mechanism being disposed primarily behind the door.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a permutation lock assembly wherein a plurality of coaxial, relatively rotatable tumblers are adapted to be positioned with respect to corresponding projections so as to accommodate movement of a lock key bar to'an unlocking position.

Yet another important object is to provide such a lock assembly in which the key bar, upon actuation, operates a latch bolt movable in a plane angularly disposed with respect to the plane of actuation of the key bar.

It is a still further object of the present invention to provide a new and improved permutation lock assembly having coaxial tumbler and key bar-actuating elements,v

the key bar-actuating element being capable of free travel in the event that movement of the key bar is prevented by the locking elements.

These and other objects and advantages will be more apparent from the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment of my invention and by reference to the drawings forming a part hereof wherein:

On the drawings:

Figure l is an elevational perspective view of the lock of the present invention illustrating the lock assembly and a panel-type door upon which the lock is disposed",

Figure 2 is a rear elevation of the lock of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a front elevation of thelock assembly,

Figure 4 is a longitudinal vertical sectional view of the lock assembly, with parts shown in elevation;

Figure 5 is a sectional view taken along the plane 5-5 of Figure 4; and

Figure 6 is a sectional view taken along the plane '6-6 of Figure 4.

In the drawings:

Reference numeral 10 refers gene ally to a panel type disclosed and claimed in my earlier 2,966,788 Patented Jan. 3, 1961 ice door, or the like, upon which the lock of the present invention is disposed, the lock assembly being indicated generally at 11.

As best shown inFigure 4, the door 10 is provided with a circular aperture 12 and a lock assembly yoke, indicated generally at 15, is disposed on the rear surface of the door 10 adjacent the aperture. More particularly, the yoke 15 is generally rectangular in over-all configuration and is provided with an opening 16 coextensive with the opening 12 and in registry therewith. The upper portion of the yoke 15 is provided with a generally vertically extending passage 17 within which is disposed a latch bolt indicated generally at 18, the latch bolt being vertically slidable within the passage 17 in a manner to be hereinafter more fully described.

To retain the yoke 15 in position with the apertures 12 and 16in registry and also to provide a peripheral bearing for the tumbler elements, as hereinafter described in detail, an escutcheon element 24) is secured to the yoke 15 by suitable means, as by a screw 21 traversing the element 20 and the door 10 and threadedly received by the yoke 15. This escutcheon element 20 comprises a generally cylindrical bearing portion 22 projecting through the aperture 12 and the aperture 16 of the yoke 15 and a flange 27 in flush contact with the exterior radial surface of the escutcheon. Journalled in the tubular body 26 of the first tumbler 25 is a second or inner tumbler, indicated generally at 30, and having a radial flange 32 overlying the flange 27 of the tumbler 25. The tumbler 30 also has an elongated, generally cylindrical body portion 31 projecting axially through the body portion 26 of the tumbler 25 and having its terminal end lying be yond the terminal end of the first tumbler 25.

Secured to the tumblers 25 and 30 adjacent the extreme ends thereof, respectively, are first and second tumbler elements 33 and 34. The elements 33 and 34 are substantially identical, with the exception of the difference in size of the central apertures 35 and 36, respectively, thereof, these apertures receiving the remote ends of the tumbler bodies 26. and 31, respectively. To insure corotation between the tumbler 25 and its respective element 33, each element is provided with a radial, interior threaded aperture 37 (Figure 5) carrying a setscrew 33 engaging the periphery of the body portion 26 of the tumbler 2.5. A similar setscrew construction is utilized to insure corotation between the tumbler 30 and its element 34. p I

The second tumbler 30 is provided with a generally cylindrical bore 40 therethrough counterbored, as at 41, to provide a radial, outwardly facing shoulder 42. Projecting axially through the bore 40 is a stem 43 of an actuation element or spindle indicated generally at 45 and having an enlarged end 44 snugly guided by the counterbore -41. That end of the stem 43 remote from the enlarged end 44 is threaded, as at 46, to receive thereon a retaining nut 47 abutting a generally vertically extending key support 48 havinga laterally projecting boss 49 which is snugly received by the bore 443. Interposed between the inner end of the boss 49 and the enhead 44 projects axially beyond the flange 32 of the tumbler 30.

Carried by the key support 48 and projecting therefrom to lie in a plane parallel to the axis of rotation of the tumblers 25 and 30 parallel to the plane of movement of the actuating spindle 45 is a key bar 52. This key bar is provided on its undersurface with a pair of depending key projections 53 and 54 respectively cooperable with tumbler elements 33 and 34 in a manner hereinafter to be more fully described. That portion of the key bar 52 lying between the key projection 53 and the door is reduced in width to provide a forward projection 55 extending through an aperture 56 formed in the yoke and establishing communication with the yoke recess 17.

That portion 55 of the key bar 52 extending into the recess 17 is provided with a downwardly and forwardly inclined cam surface 60 which is adapted to cooperate with a similar surface 61 formed on the latch bolt 18. The latch bolt 18 is provided with a central aperture 62 into which the forward end of the key bar projects, so that the cam surface 60 of the key bar overlies and is in full contact with the cam surface 61 of the bolt 18. Interposed between the fixed escutcheon 20 and the vertically movable latch bolt 18 is a coil compression spring 625 which normally urges the latch bolt upwardly to its illustrated locking position at which a locking projection,

indicated in dotted outline at 64, is received by a locking recess '65 formed in the free upper end of the latch bolt 18.

As illustrated in Figures 1, 2 and 6, the tumbler elements 33 and 34 are each provided with a single notch or slot 33a and 34a, respectively. By means of the setscrews 38, the rotative location of these notches 33a and 34a may be varied radially about the tumbler axes. The tumblers and are each preferably provided at their flange portions 27 and 32, respectively, with appropriate indicia or gradient marks 25a and 30a, which marks are alignable with a reference mark 20a on the escutcheon 20. Additionally, the tumbler elements 33 and 34 are preferably provided with radially extending, relatively shallow face teeth 33b and 34b, respectively.

The operation of the lock of the present invention will be readily appreciated by those skilled in the art.

When the lock is assembled, as illustrated in Figure 1 of the drawings, the latch bolt recess 65 receives the locking projection 64 therein, and opening of the door is prevented. To open the lock, it is necessary only to align the slots 33a and 34a of the tumbler elements 33 and 34, with the key projections 53 and 54, respectively, and to depress the spindle head 44.

Once the proper combination has been attained so that the key slots 33a and 34a are aligned with the appropriate key projections 53 and 54, the spindle 45 may then be displaced axially of the tumblers to thereby displace the key support 48 and the key bar 52 in a lock-opening direction. Attempted axial displacement of the spindle without the proper combination being set on the tumblers 25 and 30 will merely depress the spindle head 44 against the compression of the spring 51 without moving the key bar 52 and, therefore, without opening the lock. Such movement of the spindle head 44 relative to the key bar 52 is accommodated by the lost motion connection between the key support 48 and the spindle 45, the spindle shaft 43 being slidable through the key support aperture against the compression of the spring 50;

Once the proper combination has been set and movement of the key bar 52 is accommodated upon displacement of the spindle 45, displacement of the key bar to the left (i.e., towards its dotted position of Figure 4) will cause depression of the latch bolt 18 against the spring 63 (by virtue of the camming action of the key bar surface 60 against the latch bolt surface 61) to the dotted position of Figure 4 at which the lock projection I 64 is removed from the locking recess 65.

When it is desired to relock the door, the tumblers 25 and 30 are again set to their correct position at which the slots 33a and 34a are aligned with the key projections 53 and 54 and the spindle is again depressed to retract the latch bolt vertically to accommodate the entry of the latching projection 64 to a position in alignment with the recess 65. Release of the spindle will then allow movement of the key bar to the right, thus accommodating elevation of the latch bolt 18 to its locking position by its spring 63. Alternatively, if the door 10 opens to the right, it is sufficient merely to align the slots 33:: and 34a with the projections 53 and 54 and then shut the door so that the rear inclined cam surface 66 at the upper end of the latch bolt may engage the locking projection 64 and thereby cam the latch bolt 18 vertically to accommodate passage of the locking projection 64 over the latch bolt 18.

Thus, it will be appreciated that I have provided a new, improved lock which, while similar to that disclosed in my earlier Patent No. 2,584,655, constitutes a considerable improvement thereover. The novel construction of the key bar and latch bolt with their cooperating cam surfaces 60 and 61 makes possible the actuation of the latch bolt in a plane which lies angularly with respect to the plane of movement of the spindle and of the key bar. The free motion of the spindle, which motion is accommodated by the spring 50 operatively interposed between the spindle head 44 and the key support 48, prevents damage to the lock during attempted opening of the lock, as by forcibly striking the spindle head 44, when the tumbler element slots 33a and 34a are not aligned with the key projections 53 and 54, respectively.

The key bar teeth 53 and 54 are provided with rearwardly facing knife edges cooperable with the serrations 33b and 34b of the tumbler elements 33 and 3-4, respectively. The mterengagement of these edges and serrations prevents rotation of the tumblers when the spindle head 44 is depressed. Thus, it is impossible to force the key bar teeth into contact with the tumbler elements and then rotate the tumbler elements until the teeth enter the tumbler element slots, thereby releasing the lock bolt 18.

While a preferred embodiment of my invention has been described above in detail, it will be understood that numerous modifications may be resorted to without departing from the scope of the following claims.

I claim:

1. A permutation lock comprising a plurality of coaxial and relatively rotatable tumblers, a key bar positioned exteriorly of said tumblers and displaceable in a direction parallel to the axes of said tumblers, cooperatiing means on said tumblers and said key bar normally preventing displacement of said key bar and accommodating said displacement when said tumblers are rotatably adjusted to predetermined positions, respectively, key bar actuating means positioned axially of said tumblers, means connecting said key bar to said actuating means to so displace said key bar in response to axial movement of said actuating means, a latch bolt movable in a direction angularly disposed with respect to the direction of the movement of said key bar, and cooperable cam means on said key bar and said latch bolt for moving said latch bolt upon displacement of said key bar in a direction parallel to the axes of said tumblers.

2. A permutation lock comprising a plurality of concentric hollow cylindrical tumblers, a key bar extending substantially parallel to the axis of said tumblers, said key bar being positioned exteriorly of said tumblers and adjacent thereto, means on said key bar positionable in locking relation with means on said tumblers to prevent movement of said key bar with respect to said tumblers in a direction substantially parallel to the axis of said tumblers, means to position said tumblers to allow such movement of said key bar with respect to said tumblers, a key bar actuating spindle positioned axially of said tumblers, said spindle including a depressible spindle head projecting axially forwardly with respect to said tumblers, lost-motion connecting means connecting said key bar to said spindle adjacent the rear end of said spindle, said lost-motion connecting means permitting said spindle to move rearwardly with respect to said connecting means when said key bar is prevented from moving rearwardly with respect to said tumblers, and resilient means located between said lost-motion connecting means and said spindle head, said resilient means being operative, when said spindle head is depressed, to move said connecting means and said key bar rearwardly with respect to said tumblers when said tumblers are positioned to permit such movement.

3. A permutation lock comprising a plurality of concentric hollow cylindrical tumblers, a key bar positioned exteriorly of said tumblers and adjacent thereto, said key bar extending in a direction substantially parallel to the axis of said tumblers and being movable forwardly and rearwardly in said direction with respect to said tumblers, means on said key bar positionable in locking position with means on said tumblers to prevent rearward movement of said key bar with respect to said tumblers, means on said tumblers to position said tumblers to allow such rearward movement of said key bar with respect to said tumblers, a key bar actuating spindle projecting axially through said tumblers, means connecting said spindle to said key bar and operative to move said key bar rearwardly with respect to said tumblers when said tumblers are set to allow such movement of said key bar and when said spindle is moved axially rearwardly with respect to said tumblers, a movable latch bolt, and means on said key bar engaging said latch bolt to move said latch bolt in response to rearward movement of said key bar with respect to said tumblers.

4. A permutation lock comprising a hollow rotatable cylindrical tumbler, a key bar positioned exteriorly of said tumbler and adjacent thereto, said key bar being movable in a direction substantially parallel to the axis of said tumbler, a key bar actuating spindle positioned axially of said tumbler, said spindle including a depressible spindle head projecting axially forwardly with respect to said tumbler, a first resilient means located between said tumbler and said spindle head and biasing said spindle head axially forwardly with respect to said tumbler, and means connecting said key bar to said spindle to move said key bar in response to axial movement of said spindle, said connecting means including a rigid arm and a second resilient means located between said arm and said spindle head, said second resilient means being operative to urge said arm and key bar rearwardly with respect to said tumbler when said spindle head is depressed axially inwardly with respect to said tumbler.

5. A permutation lock according to claim 4 wherein said rigid arm is slidably connected with respect to said spindle to permit said spindle to move axially rearwardly with respect to said rigid arm when said key bar is prevented from moving rearwardly with respect to said tumbler.

6. A permutation lock comprising a plurality of concentric hollow cylindrical rotary tumblers, a key bar positioned exteriorly of said tumblers and adjacent thereto, said key bar being movable forwardly and rearwardly with respect to said tumblers in a direction substantially parallel to the axis of said tumblers, a gate-containing ring mounted on each tumbler, each ring having a serrated forward face, projections on said key bar corresponding in number to the number of said gate-containing rings, there being a key bar projection positioned adjacent the serrated forward face of each gate-containing ring and said projection being movable into the gate of said ring when said gate is positioned in alignment with said projection whereby said projection may move in an axial direction with respect to the tumbler on which the gatecontaining ring is mounted, a key bar actuating spindle positioned axially of said tumblers, said spindle including a depressible spindle head projecting axially forwardly of said tumblers, and means connecting said key bar to said spindle, said means including resilient means operative, when said spindle head is depressed axially inwardly, to transmit force to said key bar to urge said key bar rearwardly when said ring gates are aligned with said key bar projections, and said means connecting said key bar to said spindle also including means to permit said spindle to move axially rearwardly with respect to said key bar when said ring gates are out of alignment with said key bar projections and said key bar projections engage said serrated surfaces whereby rotation of said tumblers is substantially prevented while said spindle head is so depressed.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 200,070 Loch Feb. 5, 1878 492,646 Walker Feb. 28, 1893 499,864 Walker et al. June 20, 1893 1,452,503 Grubb Apr. 24, 1923 2,584,655 Amo Feb. 5, 1952 

